Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza
by Patchcat
Summary: A collection of one-shots and ficlets written for various challenges and prompts.
1. Easy Sway

Title: Easy Sway

Rating: M

Written for: The LJ community fanfic_bakeoff's "bright" theme

Warnings: Smut

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 495

Disclaimed: These characters aren't mine. They are the property of CBS and their affiliates. I'm just playing with them for a bit.

Notes: Soooo… This was meant to just be a nice, sweet little cuddle 'fic, complete with octo-SEALs and silliness. At some point, it kind of took a left turn at Albuquerque and decides that I needed to write my first bit of porny slash. _ Kind of fitting for my first 'fic in this fandom, huh? XD Also, as happens way too often with me, the 300 word cut for this was submitted to the Bakeoff and can be found here.

Summary: In which there is a quiet Danny and an octo-SEAL.

**Easy Sway**

Steve comes awake gently for once, instead of the usual jolt he feels as his partner gets up and starts his day. It's rare that he's up before Danny - that man hits the ground running, all frenetic energy, unmuted, on fast forward as soon as his feet hit the floor - and Steve rolls over to appreciate the quiet. For a minute he just lays there, admiring the way an errant beam of sunlight bounces off bright blond hair.

He reaches out and runs his fingers lightly down Danny's chest, watching the play of light and shadow as his hand moves and his partner breathes. Suddenly, he has to have all that stillness right up against him. Steve reaches out and wraps around Danny, burrowing into his neck, and tangling their legs together.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of octo-SEAL this morning?" Danny murmurs sleepily, laying a gentle kiss on Steve's temple.

"It's almost 9:00 a.m, and you're still in bed," Steve replies, snuffling up under Danny's jaw. "Wanted to keep you here."

"Hmmmm," Danny hummed. "I see. That all you wanted?"

Steve's breathing quickens as Danny rubs his thickening cock against the thigh Steve has slipped between his legs. Steve growls and rolls them, pinning Danny and feeling himself harden as he gets everything lined up just right.

He leans down and kisses Danny, delving deep and sucking lazily on his partner's tongue. Danny moans into Steve's mouth and jerks his hips up, creating friction that makes Steve gasp and throw his head back, grinding down and setting a slow rhythm.

Danny buries his hands in Steve's hair and brings his head down. This kiss is sloppy and wet; and Danny speeds the thrust of his hips, insistent. "Come on," he goads. "Is that all ya got?"

Steve moans and plants short, quick kisses along Danny's neck. "Bossy," he breathes as he licks a line up Danny's jaw and into his mouth. They rub and grind against each other, and Danny's hands find his lover's hips. He holds Steve still and arches up, finding his release with a long, loud moan. Steve starts to move again, his thrusts erratic and he lets go with a contented sigh.

As their breathing slows and bodies cool, Steve leans over and grabs a shirt off the floor to clean them up. Wadding it up and tossing it aside, he wraps himself back around Danny, pulling him close and settling his head under Danny's chin. He feels his partner sigh.

"And the octo-SEAL returns." Steve can hear the amusement in his voice. "You not ready to get up yet?"

Steve just grumbles and burrows his head down to Danny's chest and tightens his hold, content to lie there as long as his partner will let him. The morning passes with only the sound of their breathing, and Steve is lulled back to sleep by the feel of Danny's hand as it runs through his hair.


	2. Heart Held

Title: Heart Held

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: PG

Content of Note: Nothing more than the show. Slight spoilers for Powa Maka Moana (1.17). Slight language

Written for: The LJ community hawaii50_land's fanfic challenge

Characters/Pairings: Steve, Danny, Chin

Word Count: 863

Disclaimed: These characters aren't mine. They are the property of CBS and their affiliates. I'm just playing with them for a bit.

Notes: This particular little piece was written, as noted, for hawaii50_land's fanfic challenge. The word we were given was "hostage," and the word count cap was 500 words. Well, mine went over a little bit in the original. Since I've edited this and added a bit from what was originally posted, well... I suppose you can see for yourself, yeah? ^_^

Edit 6/4/11 - Fixed Gracie's school now that we know the actual name. Also, because I had a very nice review that reminded me I needed to do it. Thanks, hun! ^_^

Summary: Steve's day starts like any other, until a case hits a little too close to Danny's home

**Heart Held**

"All right, McGarrett," Danny says as he walks into Steve's office with a file folder and a scowl. "You wanna explain to me how, exactly, I'm supposed to make 'opened door to suspect's office with a _fucking hand grenade_' into something that's acceptable for governmental consumption?"

"Well," Steve answers, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet on his desk. "First thing is to lose the whole 'fucking' thing because I really don't think the Governor appreciates a potty mouth." Steve grins as he watches Danny wind up. He settles back with his hands behind his head and waits for what he knows is coming.

"What the hell, Steven!" Danny explodes. "Seriously? That's -? That's what you're going with? Lose the whole 'fucking' thing? Really? That's all the help you're giving? You -? For fuck's sake, McGarrett -"

Steve just leans back, and his grin gets wider. This just sets Danny off more. "We are not even getting into the fact that there was a _fucking grenade_ in my car! My car, which I might add, that my very lovely, very sweet, very _breakable_ little girl occasionally rides to school and various other activities of a fun father-daughter nature in. No, we are not going to mention that. Not at all. We are, however, going to discuss that you used a grenade, a grenade you got _out of my car_ to blow open a perfectly serviceable door; and now you, Steven, you are going to help me explain -"

"Boss." Chin sticks his head through the door, cutting Danny off mid-bitch. "We have a situation."

Suddenly, Steve's all business, feet on the ground and game face firmly applied. He gets up and heads out of his office.

"We're not done with this, McGarrett," Danny says as he throws his file onto Steve's desk and follows Chin out to the computer table.

"What have we got?" Steve asks, taking in Chin's pensive expression and the too-young faces he's pulling up on the over-head screens.

"Hostage situation at Sacred Hearts Academy," Chin answers. "Seems like a couple of the seniors went a little crazy. No word yet on what their demands are, though. HPD's asked us to come in and help assess and diffuse." Chin's voice is calm and cool as he gives the details, but Steve finds that his attention is no longer on him. Instead it's turned to his partner, who's turned ghost pale.

"Danny?" Steve's reaching for Danny's shoulder. The man looks like he's about to faint, and that isn't like him. "Danny, you okay?"

"Did - did you say Sacred Hearts?" Danny's voice is a hoarse croak, and he barely waits for Chin's confirmation before he's running for the door.

"Wait. Danny? What?" Steve manages to get out just as his partner disappears through the office door.

The team stands there for a few precious seconds, completely stunned; and then Steve's shaking off the momentary surprise and heading after his partner, calling over his shoulder, "Chin, you and Kono head for the school, see what you can find out about who's holding these kids. I've got Danny. We'll meet you there."

He doesn't wait for acknowledgment, knowing that his orders will be carried out. He runs through the Palace halls, hitting the front door and almost tripping over Danny, who's standing right outside, his phone pressed to his ear. 

"She's not there? Are you sure?" Danny pinches the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I realize that was stupid. But she should have been there today." Steve watches Danny's shoulders slump with relief as he listens to whatever the person on the other end of the line says. "Thank God," he breathes. "Yeah. Yeah, Rachel, I will. Bye."

"Rachel?" Steve steps over to stand next to his partner, concern written all over his face. "Danny, what's going on?"

Danny scrubs his hand over his face, breathing deeply for several long seconds before answering Steve. "Sacred Hearts is the private school Rachel sends Gracie to. Grace should have been in school today."

"Danny," Steve says, stunned, reaching out and putting a comforting hand on Danny's arm. "I -"

Danny waves him off, a small smile crossing his lips. "'Sokay," he says. "She had a dentist appointment this morning, and Rachel decided to make it a Mommy/Daughter day afterwards, kept her out all day." Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Rachel saw the report on the TV at the nail salon. Guess she thought I might panic when she realized it was Gracie's school they were talking about."

A wry grin tugs at the corner of Steve's mouth. "She knows you too well."

Danny glares at Steve for all of two seconds, then sighs and says, "Yeah. Yeah I guess she still does." Danny stares out across the parking lot, squints into the bright Hawaiian sunshine, and rubs his hand across his eyes. "She's okay, Steve," he says softly. "Gracie's okay."

"Yeah," Steve says. "She is." He bumps his shoulder against Danny's, puts his hand on his partner's back, and starts to propel him toward the Camaro. "Let's go make sure the rest of those kids are okay, too."


	3. Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go

Title: Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go

Rating: G

Content of Note: Major Character Death (Nothing explicit, but…She's at a graveside, y'all. Take it from there.)

Written for: The LiveJournal community hawaii50_land

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny referenced, Grace

Word Count: 1,061

Notes: This piece was written for a hawaii50_land challenge. This time around, we were given a character to focus on. That character was Grace. This is what hit me.

Also, this has not been beta'ed so if you see something wonky (something misspelled, a paragraph that makes no sense), please let me know. Con-crit is always welcome.

Summary: Grace remembers the good times.

* * *

**Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go**

Grace made her was slowly through the monuments and headstones, heading for one in particular. It didn't take long for her to find it. After all, she'd been here countless times before, although circumstances had kept her away for the last few months. Kneeling before the marker, she spared a quick glance to the plot right next door, where workmen were busy erecting a tent and preparing for another burial.

"Hey, Uncle Steve," she said softly, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her knees. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm really sorry I've been away for so long. It wasn't right or fair to you, but I'm here now."

It had been three years since Steve McGarrett was taken from them. A stray bullet from a low-level street punk, and the lives of everyone around her had changed. No one more so than her father.

Danny was never the same after Steve died. The bright spark that had always glowed from the Jersey detective had faded to a distant memory until he was almost unrecognizable as the same man. It had broken Grace's heart to see it, and no amount of comfort or caring or distraction had changed it

Grace had always known that the job her father and his partner did was dangerous. She'd seen some of that firsthand over the years Danny and Steve had been together. But nothing had brought it home harder than the days after. She'd lost her father then just as surely as she had Steve.

"Do you remember when we thought we'd lost Danno? That was probably some of the worst days of my life, not knowing whether he'd ever come home again. You were such a rock for me, even though it had to be hurting you just as much. And me being a 13-year-old brat who just wanted her Daddy and wouldn't let anyone comfort her." Grace wiped at the tears on her cheeks. "God, I wish you were here like that now."

Steve had found her on the beach behind the house, legs drawn up and head buried in her knees, sobbing and shaking and so very afraid. It was one of the few times she'd ever seen Steve break down and cry himself, and it was the sharing of misery that helped her get through all of the uncertainty. Danny had woken up the next day and come home shortly thereafter, but from that moment on, Steve was just as much of a father to Grace as Danny was.

"We really became a family after that. You filled in all of the spaces that Danno couldn't. Like when I decided I wanted to stay in Hawaii with you and Danno but didn't know how to tell Mom without hurting her. Or couldn't decide who to go with to prom, Tommy or Kali." She grinned at the memory. Danny had been so out of his element over all of it, but Steve took it all in stride. Well, okay. The whole debacle with Rachel had been more like a military op and less like a family discussion, but it had all worked out in the end.

"All Danno could do was flip out and go on about his baby growing up and what was he going to do now, but you…" Grace smiled and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "You were right there to calm him down."

And really, that was how it had always been. They complemented and completed each other, filling in the blanks and offering support to each other at all times. It had been an amazing environment to grow up in.

Oh, they had their differences, that was for sure - "Did he ever admit he was wrong about the dog? I don't think he did, and we had that mutt for years!" - but woven through all of it had been love and warmth and laughter. Grace had always felt like the luckiest girl on the islands. Not only did she have a mother and step-father who loved her dearly, she had two fathers who would do anything to make sure she was happy.

Grace wasn't sure how long she sat there and reminisced about the good times. It must have been a while, though. Her legs were a bit numb from kneeling, and there was a small crowd gathering at the site next to her. One of the mourners detached himself from the group and made his way over to her.

"I'm so sorry you missed my wedding, Uncle Steve. You would have loved it. Right on the beach, and Danno didn't complain once about the sand. Everything was so beautiful." Her smile was a little watery. It truly had been beautiful; one of the best days of her life, marred only by the empty chair beside her father.

A hand on her shoulder shook her out of the bittersweet memories. "It's time," her husband's voice said softly. "They're waiting for you."

Grace drew a shaky breath and leaned forward to place her hand on the headstone. "I miss you, Uncle Steve. Danno - Danno did, too. He - he was never the same after…" Grace drew a shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut tight. Everything was going to be so different now. How was she going to cope, without the strongest shoulder in her life?

A gentle hand on her own shoulder reminded her that there were others who could help her now. Maybe not as steadfast and strong, maybe not the father she had never thought to lose; but there and willing to offer as much comfort and support.

"I didn't - didn't tell you why I'm here, did I? But, then, I suppose you already know, don't you? Take care of him for me, Uncle Steve. Just like you always have, okay?"

She rose slowly from the ground, resting her hand briefly on the sun-warmed stone. Dusting off her skirt, she made her way to the gathered group and stopped at the head of the casket there. Raising a shaking hand to her face, she wiped at the tears that refused to stop.

Tightening her grip on the flowers she had picked up from a nearby bucket, Grace bowed her head and spoke softly as she laid them on the casket. "Goodbye, Danno. Remember, Gracie loves you."


	4. Don't Call the Witchdoctor

Title: Don't Call the Witchdoctor, I've Got You Covered

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza  
Rating: G  
Content of Note: none

Written for: The LiveJournal community sd_ldws Round 4, Week 1 - Challenge cliché/genre was "enforced bed-sharing" and the prompt was "gravity"  
Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny  
Word Count: 419  
Notes: I knew there were probably going to be plenty of hotel/incorrectly booked rooms/only one bed drabbles written and wanted something different. Then, as I was trying to figure out what to write, I caught a cold and had to endure some nasty, vile cough syrup to get rid of it. Then I decided that if I had to suffer, Danny did, too…and then this happened. Edited a bit for flow and clarity and to get rid of that embarrassing tense switch toward the end.

Summary: It's a traditional Hawaiian remedy. What's the worst that could happen?

**Don't Call the Witchdoctor, I've Got You Covered**

"Don't worry, partner. It's a traditional Hawaiian remedy. It'll fix you right up. Make you feel like a new man," Steve assured him.

Danny eyed the steaming mug dubiously. Yeah, he was miserable. He'd been coughing and sneezing and achy for days, and the sooner that ended the better as far as he was concerned. It was just a harmless home remedy, after all. Danny'd watched Steve brew it up. There was absolutely no reason for him to feel like he was taking his life in his hands by drinking it. No reason at all.

With a long-suffering sigh, Danny picked up the mug, steeled his nerves, and downed the concoction in one gulp. The taste was horrible, and Danny gagged just before his eyes rolled up in his head and he passed out.

When Danny came to an indeterminate amount of time later, he was surprised to find himself in his partner's bed, wrapped in said partner's arms, clad only in his boxers with a very vague recollection of perching on the lanai railing, insisting he was a bird, and being proven wrong when gravity pulled him to the sand below as he tried repeatedly to fly.

"Not that I'm really complaining," Danny said, his voice rough and muzzy. The sound made him wince. God, his head was killing him! "But what the hell, Steven?"

He'd felt the pliant body behind him stiffen and the arms around him started to withdraw. Danny wasn't having that and grabbed hold, keeping them right where they'd started.

"Oka~ay," Steve drawled. "We'll revisit _that_ and the whole 'not complaining' thing later." The sheets rustled as Steve shifted a little. "You might have had a reaction to the medicine. But only a slight one!" Steve hastened to reassure Danny. "It seems to have pretty much worn off now, though."

"Still doesn't explain why I'm in bed with you," Danny pointed out.

"This was the only way to keep you from hurting yourself." It felt like Steve was holding his breath behind him, as though he were afraid Danny would be angry.

"Oh." Well, that sounded reasonable to Danny's pounding head. He snuggled up against his partner and let himself drift.

"Um, Danno?" Steve's voice sounded uncertain.

"Sleep, Steven. We'll talk about it later." Knowing that he wasn't going to get away with blaming Steve's damned "traditional Hawaiian remedy" and deciding that he really didn't give a damn, Danny settled back down into the warmth of his partner's arms and let sleep claim him.


	5. Breathless

Title: Breathless

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: G

Content of Note: none

Written for:The LJ community sd_ldws Round 4, Week 2 - Challenge cliché/genre was "action" and the prompt was "Breath, baby, breath."

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 399

Notes: Tied for third place! Concrit is like water to a thirsty kitty, readily and gratefully accepted. :D

Summary: Danny swims for survival - Steve's

_Breathe_

Danny grabbed desperately for Steve's shirt. He got a firm handhold and kicked hard for the surface, his partner a dead weight behind him. He broke the surface with a gasp and headed for shore.

_Breathe_

It was supposed to be a routine stop. Go in, show a picture around, question some people who may or may not have seen their perp around the day before. Nothing was ever routine.

_Come on, Steven, breathe!_

Danny supposed he could consider it a lucky break. If by "lucky break," you meant "lucky to get to chase one Devon Kalila and then get shot at!"

_Damn it, McGarrett, if you don't draw a fucking breath right this second -!_

And of course, _of course_ their running gunfight would end up on some Godforsaken pier. And iof course/i Kalila would decide that if he was going down, the cops chasing him were, too. Danny can't chase the image of Steve getting hit and falling. It's one that he knows will haunt him for a long time.

_Come on. **Come on**_, _Steve! Breathe, you inhuman bastard!_

Danny's sure Steve would have just shaken it off and gone on fighting if he hadn't been standing so close to the edge of the pier. The impact to his shoulder sent him right over. Chin and Kono, who'd been right on their heels as they shot by, took care of Kalila while Danny went after his partner.

_Steve, you've got to breathe. You hear me, babe! You have to breathe. I can't tell you - tell you - Damn it! Breathe!_

Danny'd stood at the end of the pier for a few seconds, searching desperately for Steve. When he didn't surface, Danny had proven that he could, indeed, swim. He threw off his shoes, whipped off his tie, and dove in. Steve had just been hanging there, lifeless. The gunshots weren't fatal, but the angle he'd hit the water on had been bad. As soon as they hit solid ground, Danny started trying to revive him.

_Come on, come on! Brea - Thank God!_

Steve gasped and coughed, rolling over and expelling sea water. Relief flooded Danny.

"Asshole!" Danny smacked the back of Steve's head. "I'm revoking your Superman status!"

Steve's voice was rough and raspy, but his grin was bright. "Can't get rid of me that easy, Danno."

_That's it. Breathe, baby, breathe._


	6. Mousetrap

Title: Mousetrap

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: G

Content of Note: Um, mice?

Written for: sd_ldws Round 4, Week 3 - Challenge cliché/genre was "humor" and the prompt was "cage."

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 300

Notes: Written in about 30 minutes while I was sitting in a hotel room in Dublin, Ireland. Barely got it done and sent off so please excuse the quality.

Summary: Grown men should never squeal like little girls.

* * *

Steve ran out of his office and headed for Danny's at the sound of the first girlish scream. The sight of Danny standing in his chair, staring at the corner of his office, completely freaked out pulled him up short. "Danny?"

"Mouse. In the corner. There is a _mouse_ -! Get it out get it out get it out!" Danny's voice was frantic, and his eyes were wild.

Steve looked over where Danny was pointing to see a tiny cage sitting there. It appeared to be one of those humane mouse traps he'd seen the cleaning crew leave all over. Apparently they had a mouse or two. Given Danny's reaction, one of them had been caught.

Steve's gaze shifted from the mouse trap to Danny and back again. Against his better judgment, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he raised a hand to cover it. Danny caught the movement, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Don't you dare laugh, Steven! It's a perfectly legitimate phobia. You shouldn't laugh at people's phobias!"

Just then the mouse in the cage moved, scraping against the side of its trap. Danny, who'd been lowering himself out of his chair, squealed again and jumped right back up. That was it for Steve. His laughter echoed through the room.

"Steven -" Danny started, his voice strangled with anger and fear.

"Okay, okay, Danno." Steve held his hands out in an attempt to placate his partner. "I'll take the big scary mouse and get rid of it so that you don't have to scream like a little girl anymore."

"I did not -!" Danny protested as Steve leaned down and grabbed the trap. "Steve! I did _not_ scream like a little girl!"

His only answer was Steve's laughter as it echoed through the door.


	7. Woke Up Today

Title: Woke Up Today

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: PG

Content of Note: None

Written for: The LiveJournal Community hawaii50_land Round 2, Challenge 7

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 170

Notes: The challenge was that the mod would give us a song, and we had to create either a graphic or a drabble using the lyrics. Mine was "I Woke Up Today" by Port O'Brien. The bolded words are the lyrics I used.

I don't usually like to post things until after the challenge I've written them for is over and results have been posted. However, this was written in early September. It's now late October, and the com hasn't been active since this challenge was issued so I feel justified in posting it now.

* * *

**I woke up today**, and my world had changed. All the respect and admiration that I had for my partner had grown into something a little more, something a lot like...

I wondered how I'd missed it.

So I sit here,** watching the blue ocean, the way it glows**, the beer cool and wet as it slides down my throat and can't help wondering if this really changes anything.

The crunch of sand catches my attention, and then Danny's there, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

I look up at him and can't speak, everything I'd been feeling since I sat down right there, plain as day, too big to contain anymore.

"Oh, babe," he murmurs. "It's about damned time." Then his hand's on my face and his lips are brushing mine and...and...

**I woke up today**, and my world had changed. As I lay down beside him tonight, wrapped in his arms, I realize that this changes everything, and I wouldn't have it any other way.


	8. Vigil

Title: Vigil

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: G

Content of Note: Hurt Grace

Written for: The LiveJournal Community sd_ldws Round 4, Week 4 - Challenge cliché/genre was "flangst", prompt was "faith"

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 200

Notes: I'm not sure that this one's finished. It seems like there's more to the story. If my muse deigns to tell me the rest, I'll be sure to put it up somewhere.

Summary: She would wake up. She had to.

* * *

**Vigil**

"You've gotta have a little faith, Danno," Steve whispered as he brushed a light kiss across his partner's temple. "She's strong, just like her Daddy. She'll wake up soon."

All Danny could do was lean back into Steve's arms and stare blankly at his little girl. Grace looked so small laying there, her hair spread out in a dark shock against the bright white of the sheets. The last three days had been the longest of Danny's life.

"I know." Danny turned his head and buried it briefly into the side of Steve's neck. He was so very tired, but he refused to sleep.

"You'll be useless to her if you're dead on your feet," Steve'd insisted, worried.

"What if she wakes up and I'm not there, huh?" he'd responded plaintively. "She'll be so scared. I can't do that. Not again."

After that, Steve had relented and just tried his best to be there for Danny. He knew that Danny blamed himself, that he felt responsible because he hadn't seen this coming. None of them had.

"She'll wake up, Danno. You just wait and see." Steve pulled Danny closer.

Danny just nodded and continued to watch over his little girl.


	9. The Purrrfect Betrayal

Title: The Purrrfect Betrayal

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: G

Content of Note: Um, Steve's a cat? Well, a human-shaped one anyway. Idon'tevenknowdon'tjudgeme! Also, blatant _deus__ cat__ machina_.

Written for: The LiveJournal Community sd_ldws' Round 4, Week 5 - Challenge cliché/genre was "crack", prompt was "betrayal"

Characters/Pairings: Steve/Danny

Word Count: 298

Notes: Um, so, yeah. There's more to the story here. I just know it.

Summary: How could she? Danny was _his_!

* * *

_This_, Steve fumed as he watched his pridemate rub up against his partner, _is __the __ultimate __betrayal.__ She_ knows _he__'__s __mine!_ After everything Steve had done for her; taking her in, giving her safety and shelter and making sure she was fed and warm, i_this_/i was how she repaid him?

Danny continued to obliviously stroke the pretty little calico cat that had jumped up in his lap as soon as he'd sat down on Steve's couch.

_:What __do __you __think __you__'__re __doing, __Rosie? __Belongs __to __Alpha!:_ Steve tried very hard to keep his anger in check. There was no need to scare the young cat.

:_Not __claimed. __Rosie __like. __Rosie __have __keep?_ The little calico gave Steve an arch look and continued to make herself comfortable.

"Seriously, Steve. What i_was_/i that stunt you pulled today? Would it kill you to...," Danny's voice faded into the background as Steve glared at Rosie. The cat started kneading her claws against Danny's leg as Danny scratched behind her ears and continued to rant at Steve.

_:Rosie,:_ Steve growled in quiet warning. _:Kitten __need __stop.:_ She was scent marking Danny! Right in front of him!

_:Alpha __not __claim. __Alpha __not __want. __Rosie __haz __naow.:_ Then she raised her head, bumped her cheek against Danny's, and licked delicately at his chin. Steve pounced, ripping Rosie out of Danny's lap and taking her place.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Danny yelled. "What the hell, Steven?"

"Not hers," Steve growled, licked at the spot Rosie had marked, replacing her scent with his. "Mine. My mate. Belongs to Alpha! Not Rosie's!"

"Mate, huh?" Danny's voice was laced with amusement. "Kind of like the sound of that."

With a delighted chuckle, Steve proceeded to make sure Danny was thoroughly claimed, completely missing Rosie's smug _:Alpha __welcome:_ in the process.


	10. A Horse is a Horse

Title: A Horse is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course

Collection: Surfboards and Pineapple Pizza

Rating: G

Content of Note: Um, crack?

Written for: The LiveJournal Community sd_ldws' Round 4, Week 6 - Challenge cliché/genre was "wild card(author's choice)", prompt was a photo of a dark brown horse sticking its head out of its stall

Characters/Pairings: Steve,Danny

Word Count: 498

Notes: I have no excuse, and I'm sorry. XD

Summary: Steve and Danny get a little more than they bargained for when they go to question a witness.

* * *

"Something's not adding up here, Steve," Danny said as he walked into the Commander's office with his face stuck in a manila folder. "There were no fingerprints but the vic's, the only blood we found was his, and there's nothing on the surveillance to show anyone else who was on the property was anywhere near his horse's stall at the time of the murder. What the hell are we missing?"

"Well." Steve looked up from his computer and considered his partner. "We've ruled out an accident, right?"

"Yeah," Danny replied, "There's no way he could have stabbed himself in the back like that, not unless he was some sort of super special mutant-type with extra long arms."

"Which means we're missing something. I think maybe we don't have the whole story." Steve pushed his chair back and stood up. "Guess it's back to the stables and question everybody again."

* * *

Two fruitless hours later, Steve and Danny met up again to compare notes. They'd questioned everyone on the staff and even a few of the boarders and no one had any idea what had happened to the dead groom. All of stable employees, though, had said the same thing: "I don't know, but you might want to talk to The Horse. He was there."

"'The Horse'," Danny said thoughtfully. "Why didn't they mention him before?"

"No idea, D, but he sounds like someone we need to find," Steve answered.

Noise from up the stable aisle made both men turn. A stable boy backed out of a nearby stall; rake in hand and wheelbarrow not far away. He turned to look at the officers. Danny recognized him from his questioning.

"Hey," he called. "Can you tell us where we can find this 'Horse'?"

"Yeah, sure, brah," the man replied. "He's right there behind you."

Steve and Danny turned to look, but didn't see anyone there; just a horse's dark brown head sticking out of its stall. His ears were pricked, and he watched them with interest. Steve wondered briefly why the animal was so dirty. The white blaze on his face was almost grey with grime.

"Where is he, in the stall?" Danny turned back to ask the stable boy only to discover that the man had moved on, out of sight.

"Yes, Detective," a low voice said from behind them. "I'm in the stall. I can tell you exactly what happened to Kao."

"Great!" Danny exclaimed, turning toward the voice. "Let's start with who you are and how you knew the victim."

"Well," said the horse. "My name is Fredrick. Kao was my groom."

Well that certainly explained why no one had mentioned it before. There was complete silence for a moment as Steve and Danny exchanged an incredulous look, then stared back at the horse in front of them. The horse stared back.

Danny broke the silence. "Look, Steven. It's a talking horse," he deadpanned.

Fredrick blinked at them and snorted. "What did you expect, Detective? A duck?"


End file.
